ADOT makes ADA Transition Plan available for public comment
Interested individuals encouraged to provide feedback

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation’s mission is to provide a safe, efficient and cost effective transportation system for all users, including those with disabilities. That’s why the agency is seeking feedback from the public on its proposed Transition Plan to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The draft plan, which is required as part of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, is intended to identify system needs and integrate them with ADOT’s planning process, while ensuring that all of its facilities, services, programs and activities are accessible to all individuals.

The transition plan applies to all facilities and right-of-way owned and maintained by ADOT. Examples of facilities include office buildings, rest areas, scale sites, airports and maintenance buildings. Examples of right-of-way features include curb ramps, sidewalks, crosswalks, medians and accessible pedestrian signals.

As part of the plan development process that began in January 2011, ADOT completed a comprehensive statewide inventory of public rights-of-way, including data collection of more than 22,000 features and 10,000 photos taken.

“Every agency must document its intent to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Developing a transition plan based on self-evaluation is the best way to do it,” said ADOT Deputy State Engineer Dallas Hammit. “It’s the right thing to do. We want to make sure everyone has access to all of our buildings, facilities and programs. It’s important that the public submit their comments because their input will be used for the final plan.”

The draft transition plan is available online.

Comments may be submitted until September 28. Take the survey online at: research.net/s/ADATransitionPlan or write ADOT’s ADA Coordinator, Eddie Edison, at the Arizona Department of Transportation, 206 S. 17th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85007.

ADOT’s Transition Plan will be finalized after public comments are addressed.

ADA Background
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights statute that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability. Title II of the ADA addresses the law’s requirements of state/local governments in their interactions with people with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Justice’s regulations declare that state/local governments must perform a self-evaluation of their services, programs, policies, and practices and identify barriers that may limit accessibility for people with disabilities, and develop transition plans describing how they will address identified barriers.